Sitting week beginning Monday, 23 November 2009 — 8th House sitting week of the 43rd Parliament’s 2009 spring sittings (18th sitting week for 2009).

This page summarises the work expected to be done in the House of Representatives and its Main Committee. It is updated weekly during sittings. For a full report of the business dealt with, including a list of documents presented, go to the Votes and Proceedings (available as PDF or HTML from Parlinfo). To read the debates including question time go to Hansard.

For details about the proposed program of business for each sitting of the House and Main Committee and that sitting's public hearings of House and joint committees go to the House Daily Program (available in PDF (approx 92 kb) or Word format from Parlinfo) The House Daily Program is usually available at least one hour before the House is scheduled to meet.

This week the House is expected to sit Monday to Thursday, in a pattern similar to that described in the Infosheet 'A typical sitting day'.

The Main Committee is also expected to meet on Monday (from 4pm to 9.30pm), Tuesday (from 4pm to 8.30pm), Wednesday (from 9.30am to 1pm) and on Thursday (from 9.30am to approximately 1pm).

For details about the current hours see the Houses daily routine of business diagrams for the House of Representatives Chamber (PDF 206 kb) and Main Committee (PDF 225 kb).

Real time tracking of business done by the House Chamber and the House Main Committee

You can track each item of business as it is being done in the House Chamber and the House Main Committee by using the “LiveMinutes” service at www.aph.gov.au/house/liveminutes.

You can see proceedings of the House Chamber and the House Main Committee via the webcasts at the Australian Parliament's livebroadcasting site. Replays of the House of Representatives Question Time are available from the About the House News site.

Legislation

On Monday, at approximately 6.55pm in the Main Committee, Mr Ciobo, (Lib, Moncrieff, Qld) is expected to make a statement on the Tax Laws Amendment (Improving the Producer Offset) Bill 2009. The text of this bill will be available on the Bills Page after the house sits on Monday.

Mr Abbott, (Lib, Warringah, NSW) is expected to move the second reading on the Assisting the Victims of International Terrorism Bill 2009 and debate will ensure. The text of this bill is available on Billsnet.

Government bills are expected to be introduced into the House this week. These bills will be listed on the House Daily Program and the text of each bill will be available via the Bills Page after they are introduced. Details of bills to be introduced are not available prior to their introduction.

In the House during the week it is planned to resume debate on the following Government bills already introduced (note – these plans may change as the week unfolds, especially if some of the bills listed below are referred to the Main Committee by the House. Bills received from the Senate are in italics):

Monday

• Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Amendment Bill 2009

• National Consumer Credit Protection Bill 2009 — consideration of Senate’s amendments

• National Consumer Credit Protection (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Bill 2009 — consideration of Senate’s amendments

• Customs Tariff Amendment (Incorporation of Proposals) Bill 2009

• Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Student Services and Amenities) Bill 2009

• AusCheck Amendment Bill 2009 — consideration of Senate’s amendments

• Federal Justice System Amendment (Efficiency Measures) Bill (No. 1) 2008 — consideration of Senate’s amendments

• Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment Bill 2009

• Health Insurance Amendment (New Zealand Overseas Trained Doctors) Bill 2009

Tuesday

• Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave Funding) Amendment Bill 2009

• ACIS Administration Amendment (Application) Bill 2009

• Australian Centre for Renewable Energy Bill 2009

Wednesday

• Bankruptcy Legislation Amendment Bill 2009

• Aviation Transport Security Amendment (2009 Measures No. 2) Bill 2009

• Trade Practices Amendment (Infrastructure Access) Bill 2009

• Australian Capital Territory and Other Legislation Amendment (Water Management) Bill 2009

Thursday

• Crimes Legislation Amendment (Torture Prohibition and Death Penalty Abolition) Bill 2009

• National Health Security Amendment (Background Checking) Bill 2009

• Migration Amendment (Complementary Protection) Bill 2009

• National Security Legislation Monitor Bill 2009 — if received from Senate

• Statute Law Revision Bill 2009

In the Main Committee it is planned to resume debate on the following Government business matters:

Monday (from 4pm to 9.30pm)

• Native Title Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2009

Tuesday (from 4pm to 8.30pm)

• TBA – see Tuesday's edition of the House Daily Program (available in PDF (approx 92 kb) or Word format from Parlinfo), usually available at least one hour before the House is scheduled to meet.

Wednesday (from 9.30am to 1pm)

• TBA – see Wednesday's edition of the House Daily Program (available in PDF (approx 92 kb) or Word format from Parlinfo), usually available at least one hour before the House is scheduled to meet.

Thursday (from 9.30am to approximately 1pm)

• TBA – see Thursday's edition of the House Daily Program (available in PDF (approx 92 kb) or Word format from Parlinfo), usually available at least one hour before the House is scheduled to meet.

Related links:

• Bills page

• Infosheet: Making Laws (PDF 223 kb)

Committee and delegation reports and private Members’ motions

On Monday commencing at 8.40pm the following committee reports will be presented in the Chamber:

• Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services — Inquiry into financial products and services in Australia — Mr Ripoll (Chair) (ALP, Oxley, Qld)

• Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government — Report on the inquiry into the impact of the global financial crisis on regional Australia — Ms King (Chair) (ALP, Ballarat, Vic)

• Standing Committee on Health and Ageing — Treating impotence. Roundtable forum on impotence medications in Australia — Mr Georganas (Chair) (ALP, Hindmarsh, SA)

• Standing Committee on Employment and Workplace Relations — Making it Fair: Pay equity and associated issues related to increasing female participation in the workforce — Ms Jackson (Chair) (ALP, Hasluck, WA)

• Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Innovation — Seasonal forecasting in Australia — Ms Vamvakinou (Chair) (ALP, Calwell, Vic)

These reports also may be debated later in the week in the Main Committee. Details will appear on the Daily Program. In the Main Committee it is also planned to resume debate on the following committee reports (presented last week) on the following days:

Monday

• Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs — Everybody’s Business: Remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Community Stores

Tuesday

• TBA

Wednesday

• Standing Committee on Education and Training — Adolescent Overload? Report of the inquiry into combining school and work: supporting successful youth transitions

• Standing Committee on Economics — Review of the Reserve Bank of Australia Annual Report 2008 (Second Report)

At approximately 7pm in the Main Committee on Monday, debate will ensue on private Members’ motions in the following sequence and about the following subjects (for details of these motions go to the Monday Notice Paper of the House):

• International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women — Mrs Mirabella (Lib, Indi, Vic)

• Maternal, Newborn and Child Health — Ms Rea (ALP, Bonner, Qld)

• Supporting White Ribbon Day — Mr Oakeshott (Ind, Lyne, NSW)

• RU OK? Day — Mr Georganas (ALP, Hindmarsh, SA)

Auditor-General’s reports

2009-10 reports of the Auditor-General are expected to be presented by the Speaker after question time as follows:

Tuesday

• Report No.13 –2008-09 Major Projects Report (Defence Materiel Organisation)

Wednesday

• Report No.14 – Agencies’ Contract Management (Australian Federal Police, Austrade, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade)

Thursday

• Report No.15 – AusAID’s Management of the Expanding Australian Aid Program

Matters of Public Importance

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday after question time, in accordance with the House's standing orders, it is possible for the House to discuss a matter of public importance (MPI). If an MPI is proposed by a Member, and is in order, the subject of the MPI will be announced shortly after midday on each of these days and published on ParlInfo.

If more than one MPI is proposed the Speaker will decide which MPI is the most urgent and important to be submitted to the House that day.

Grievance debate

In accordance with standing orders Grievance Debate is held on sitting Mondays in the Main Committee. At 8.30p.m., after the conclusion of private Members’ business, debate is resumed on the question ‘That grievances be noted’ and debate ensues until 9.30pm. Debate on the question is practically unlimited in scope, giving Members the opportunity, in 10 minute speeches, to raise matters in which they have a particular interest or to discuss complaints of constituents.

Petitions

Petitions and ministerial responses to petitions will be presented by the Chair of the Petitions Committee, Mrs Irwin (ALP, Fowler, NSW) on Monday at 8.30pm.

Members' may also present petitions during the time reserved for Members' Statements in the Main Committee, during the Adjournment Debates of the House and the Main Committee and during Grievance Debate in the House.

Related links

• Petitioning the House of Representatives

• Standing Committee on Petitions

• Infosheet Petitions (PDF 242 kb)

Printable Version

• Printable version of this information in PDF format (57 Kb).